US546754A - Clothes-line fastener - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

0. BENESH.

CLOTHES LINE PASTENBR. I No. 546,754. Patented Sept. 24,1895,

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ANDREW BGRIRNAM,HDTO'UTHO WASHINEION. [7.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES BENESH, OF WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO H. E. HOLMES AND SAMUEL J. CARPENTER, OF MINNE- APOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CLOTH ES-LINE FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,754, dated September 24, 1895.

A plication filed January 26,1895. Serial No. 586,372- (No model.)

To otZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLEs BENESH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wahpeton, in'the county of Richland and State of 5 North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a clothes-line clamp or clutch, and aims to provide a device simple in construction, efficient, durable, and which is capable of being easily and readily manipulated for purposes of stretching and 2e removing the rope when required. One desideratum in devices of this nature is the provision of a device which will admit of the rope being quickly removed and applied to the clamp and firmly held in the located po- 2 5 sition without requiring extra manipulation other than that required to place the rope in position in the clamp. My improved structure fills this requirement, and is of such construction that the rope, while being securely 5o held, will not be subjected to any injurious abrasion by contact with the clamp.

The improvement consists of a clam p composed of two parts, one part being secured to the support to which the rope is to be attached by means of suitable fastenings, and having a lug provided with lateral extensions forming a fulcrum for the other part to rock upon, and having a gripping-jaw and guides contiguous to said gripping-jaws to brace the movable part against lateral stress, the other part being movable-that is, having pivotal connection with the said fixed part, and having hooks by means of which it is readily engaged with the said lateral extensions, and

5 having a curved arm provided with a ropepassage, and having a jaw to act in opposition with the jaws on the fixed part to firmly and securely clamp the rope, and having an extension to work between the said guides to hold the parts in fixed relation when the device is in service. The parts are especially constructed with respect to lightness, strength, compactness, and durability and with regard to ease of manipulation, so that the rope or clothes-line can be put up and taken down by anyone with the greatest facility.

With these and such other advantages as belong to the nature of the invention, the latter consists of the novel structure, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front View of the fixed or base part of the clamp. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the movable part in which is formed the rope-passage.

The clamp is composed of the two parts A and B, the former being the fixed or base part and the latter the pivoted or movable part. The part A is formed of a plate at, having openings to receive suitable fastenings, by means of which it is attached to a post or other support. An ear or lug extends from one side of the plate near the upper end, and from the sides of this lug project trunnions 2, forming a fulcrum for the part B to rock upon when releasing and clamping the rope. This lug b is centrally disposed to evenly distribute the strain on the plate a. A transverse depression 3 is formed near the lower end of the plate a between two transverse ribs 0 and D, which ribs constitute and form clamping-jaws for the rope F andhave angular engaging edges for the rope to impact against, so as to prevent any possible slipping of the said rope when properly adjusted to the required tension. The guides E project out from the ends of the lower transverse rib D and at right angles to the face of the plate a and flare at their inner edges, and are sufficiently long to embrace the sides of the lower extension at of the part B, and brace the said part B against lateral stress.

The removable part B is provided with two arms or extensions 5, which are designed to embrace the ear or lug I). These arms or extensions are of approximately hook shape, and the concaved portions thereof are designed to bear on trunnions 2, whereby said movable part is pivotally supported upon said trunnions. The movable member Bis provided at its upper end with a curved arm 6,

which is coneaved on its upper surface at 7 to form a seat for the rope F. A transverse rib S, at the lowerend opposite the depression 3, deflects the rope and presses it into the said depression and causes it to bind upon the edges of the jaws C and D. The parts C, D, and 8 form practically the rope-gripping jaws as the rope is held between them. The lower extension 4 projects a short distance below the lower end of the part A, so as to be grasped by the fingers when it is required to release the rope, which is effected by pulling out upon the said extension 4. This operation separates the jaws and permits the rope to pass freely between them. The parts A and B will be cast separately, and when in use the part A will be fastened to a suitable support by means of nails, screws, or similar fastenings passed through the openings in the plate, or in any desired manner. The rope to be stretched is fitted in the rope-passage in the part B, and the latter is fitted to the part A by passing the hooks astride of the lug b and over the extensions 2. A tension on the rope will pull outwardly and downwardly upon the arm 6 and cause the lower end to move inward and clamp the rope between the jaws C, D, and S, in the manner set forth hereinbefore. The rope is released in one of two ways, either by pulling straight down upon the rope-that is, the loose end dangling below the fasteneror by grasping the extension 4 and pressing outward thereon. To disengage the rope from the fastener, the part B is detached from the part A by lifting the part B sufliciently to free the hooks 5 from the extensions 2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device is simple, cheap, easily manipulated, and will readily admit of the rope being quickly and deftly placed in position and taken down with the same dispatch and convenience.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The hereindescribed improved ropeclamp, comprising a fixed or stationary memher, an ear or lug projecting therefrom, trunnions projecting from said ear or lug, and a removable member having an upper curved arm forming a rope seat, the hook-shaped bearings projecting from said arm and mounted on said trunnions, and a lower end adapted to grip the rope between it and the fixed member, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described improved rope clamp, comprising a stationary member having clamping ribs at its lower end, guide-arms projecting from said clamping ribs, an ear or lug also projecting from said stationary member, trunnions projecting from said ear or lug, a removable member having an upper curved arm forming a rope seat, hook-shape bearings projecting from said arm and mounted on said trunnions, and a clamping rib on the lower end of said removable member designed to coincide with the clamping ribs of said stationary member, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ZtlllX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES UENICSII.

\Vitncsses:

FREEMAN ORCUJT, GEO. O. BENEsn.

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